Today, January 28, 2020, President Trump announced his long anticipated deal of the century, his plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I believe this initiative, even if it never gets to the place of full implementation, is quite significant in terms of biblical prophecy.
On a human level (not considering biblical promises to Israel), I believe the plan is by far the best one ever offered to Israel and the Palestinians. It meets Israel’s security needs while at the same time it offers the other side huge economic incentives to accept the terms of the plan.
The deal includes other nations as contributors to the economic development of the Palestinians and Jordan will ensure Muslim access to the temple mount. The gulf countries of Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates were at the White House for the announcement indicating their support of it.
From a prophetic standpoint, it’s highly significant because of so many signs pointing to the approach of the tribulation. If not for the abundance of indicators regarding the nearness of the coming New World Order and the appearance of the antichrist, Trump’s plan would not be so noteworthy in terms of what lies ahead.
Daniel’s description of the antichrist’s covenant with Israel adds to the intrigue surrounding the Deal of the Century.
Daniel’s Description of the Antichrist’s Covenant with Israel
At a time in perhaps the not too distant future, the antichrist will initiate a peace deal with Israel that will appear much better to the nation than the Deal of the Century.
The prophet Daniel tells us that the coming antichrist will “make a strong covenant with many for one week . . .” (Dan. 9:27). We know this treaty includes Israel from the verses context, but the word “many” suggests it includes other entities, likely additional nations.
The Hebrew for “make a strong covenant” suggests the antichrist will take an existing peace plan and make it better, perhaps more favorable to the nation of Israel. Nothing demands that this previous covenant be successful or fully implemented; the text only indicates that the antichrist improves the terms of a previous covenant.
I believe that one of the favorable aspects of this future deal offered by the antichrist will be the allowing of Israel to build its third temple. President Trump would not have gotten far placing this in his plan, but this would certainly make the antichrist’s plan one Israel cannot refuse.
The Relevance of Trump’s Plan to Prophecy
Please know that Trump is not the antichrist nor is his plan the one spoken of in Daniel 9. We are definitely not yet at that place in the timeline of biblical prophecy. The New World Order does not exist yet and President Trump is wholeheartedly opposed to the globalism it represents.
However, this does not mean that the Deal of the Century is not relevant to biblical prophecy.
First, the antichrist will make his covenant with “the many” as noted earlier. Trump’s plan involves the support of several surrounding Arab nations and the United States, as well. Some of them were at the announcement this morning.
Second, this morning President Trump stressed the detailed nature of his plan for peace in the Middle East in its 181 pages. This makes it all the more inviting for the antichrist to incorporate into his future plan. Much of the hard work is already done, which makes it all the more ready for future use after we are with the Lord.
Third, both the President and Netanyahu used the words “peace” and “security” frequently in their speeches today. I lost count after I heard the word “peace” 14 times. This also points to the lateness of the hour in which we live. In 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Paul described the beginning of the day of the Lord in this way, “While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”
Fourth, given the fact that nations are aligning exactly as Ezekiel 38-39 said they would previous to the Gog-Magog War, it could happen in the not so distant future. If the New World Order springs to life from the ensuing chaos after this battle, the antichrist would be able to offer the temple as part of the deal given the devastating defeat God deals to radical Islam during this short war.
What Does the Plan Mean for Us?
The key for us is that we live in the last days of human history as we know it with the tribulation seemingly just around the corner, which makes Jesus’ return for us even closer. Apart from the vast number of indicators pointing to the closeness of what we see in Revelation 6-16, President Trump’s plan would likely be much less significant in terms of Bible prophecy than it appears to be.
It’s important to remember that Jesus will come for His church before the antichrist initiates his covenant with Israel. I say this because in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 the apostle tells us the rapture will happen before the unveiling of the antichrist’s identity. We must be in heaven with Jesus before the antichrist initiates his treaty with Israel.
Personally, there are a couple things about President Trump’s deal that concern me. I think it forces Israel to give up too much land. On the other hand, this morning Prime Minister Netanyahu seemed ecstatic over the deal and expressed his full support of it, which must mean it fulfilled all his security requirements for Israel.
Secondly, even though the deal gives the Palestinians a remote part of Jerusalem where only Arabs live, that concerns me as well. From what I hear, however, they wanted Old Jerusalem as their capital, not what they received in the deal.
For now, the deal gives Israel control of the entire area in regards to security and the Palestinians must meet many demanding requirements and jump through many rigorous hoops in the next four years before they achieve statehood and fully possess a piece of the Land God gave to Israel.
Much can and will happen before that time. The rapture or the Gog-Magog War or both could dramatically change the Middle East and make Trump’s plan irrelevant apart from its possible incorporation into the covenant that the antichrist will someday make with Israel. Could not these things happen before the end of the four years? I think it’s likely, but the Lord is patient and desires as many to come to Him as possible before His wrath comes upon the world.
We also know that true and lasting peace will never come to the Middle East until Jesus returns to earth and sets up His kingdom based in Jerusalem.
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